Starting Chemo in March 2014

jmg, I don't really think you can compare treatments. It takes as long as it takes. You and I are on the same regimen and it took over a week for me to feel functional. May that's just how it is with TC. I go in today for round 2. I told them at work that they probably won't be seeing me for a week. I feel more ok about this one because I know more of what to expect.

xoxox to both of you.  I wish I felt like working.  I miss it. I went back in the first week of one, but it only lasted 3 hours.   The mask was so restricting and I work with a doctor.  I am a week out from #2 AC.  TIRED and WEAK but better than last time.  Tongue is a mess again...really?  I thought we had that under control.  We as in God.   Pray a lot and rest a lot.  Leah

jmg, that doctor has to back you up. My surgeon was the same way. She told me in a scoffing tone that I would not need a whole week off after treatment. Um has she ever had chemo? She's the same one who told me that I would only need two weeks off for my mastectomy. Um, at the end of two weeks I still had drains hanging out. I took four weeks. My oncologist is a little more understanding though thank heavens. And anyway, the nurses are the ones that fill out the FMLA paperwork and pretty much put down what I tell them to. Try going that route.

img58 - my wife has taken a year off work, and I said good for her.  My personal opinion is you get the rest your body requires to fight this.  I personally know of one person who blames her recurrence on not taking care of herself and overdoing it, trying to be "normal", thru chemo.  Chemo ain't normal for anyone - certainly it hasn't been for my wife.  Can't imagine having top work.  Wife told me she could not concentrate on anything her first week.  I say, take care of yourself first.  There's only one shot to get better.

Update from my wife as follows:  she's had a good 4 days symptom free.  Day 14 tomorrow.  She's noticed her hair starting to come out rather easy, so has planned a date with the cue ball clinic tomorrow to get it buzzed.  She doesn't want to see a soup bowl full if hair.  The lady in the salon is a 14 year survivor, so is a great resource for us.

Have a question.  Has anyone planned any flight travel during treatments.  Some of you may have to travel/fly for work.  Was hoping we might get away for a couple of weeks in May, to break up the drama.  Wondering if. Anyone had  any recommendations, or read on anything.  Probably looking at a 3 hour flight.

Be well everyone!

Hi All!

 Newbie here! I just started my chemo this past Monday and am 4 days out feeling rough, weak, and constant head pressure. I'm currently taking Epirubicin and Cytoxan once a week every 2 weeks then will take Taxol every week for 12 weeks. I can't imagine getting chemo every week. I can barely function as is! Yesterday I was bed bound and today so far I'm still in bed. I hate this. 😔 Worse part is I have 2 young kids that rely on me. Right now though, they're thankfully with friends and having fun.

Sinsin - I am on a similar regime. I am doing FEC for the first 3 so the EC is the same as yours, and then Taxotere for the last three. 

After my first infusion I had a lot of side effects and didn't really feel well again till about 10 days out. The first 6 days were the hardest with a lot of nausea, headaches and dizziness, plus I got a lot of swelling.   The next 4 things slowly got better, though still nausea and a lot of fatigue. Today is day 16 after infusion for me and I feel great.  I have my tastebuds back, no nausea and just feel all around normal.

I hope that your side effects improve soon.

Medicmom- what did you decide to do about work? I am taking my short term disability for 6 months. If I try to go back for even 4 hours I lose the benefit. My surgeries have taken a long time to recover from so I wouldn't be able to work. I miss it though. 

WifeWBC, I can't imagine using the words run, easy, and 5K in the same sentence. AreYouKidding?

Nina, you are a total kick, so glad to have you around to liven our spirits. Mitzro, you're about a week ahead of me -- I have my 2nd DD AC next Tuesday -- so I'm following your progress very carefully. 

WRT disability, I'm seriously lucky. My employer is supportive, I have both short term and long term disability coverage, and my MO routinely certifies for 6 months. Unfortunately, once I get past 3 months, my employer's insurance carrier requires that they shove me onto COBRA, which will be seriously expensive. However, it's good coverage and I've already met my out of pocket for the year, so I have no room to complain. Not that that will stop me...

All of you guys, you amaze me with the care, comfort, and support you dish out. here's what I learned today from catching on the posts from the past few days:

• The achy flu-ishness I was attributing to general chemo malaise was probably the Neulasta talking back. I knew about taking Claritin the day of, but now know to take it the next day as well. 
• The *is* life after mouth sores. Glad to know about the magic mouthwash and I'll be sure to ask my MO when I see her tomorrow. 
• The light at the end of the tunnel is *not* an oncoming train. 

My favorite quote for the day came via a friend who did this trip about 12 years ago: "If you're going through hell, keep going." Winston Churchill

Susiem et al:  Will be sure to ask MO and our nurse about benefits of Claritin when we see them at next treatment.   We certainly would like somthing to help with headaches and general achiness during the first week.

Hi Susiem - here's what I've found after the second round of DD ACT.  I collapsed into bed that day as soon as I came home and slept like a rock.  Day #2 I felt great and got a lot done.  Day #3 I felt good in the morning, but as the day wore on I realized I should really be resting and thank goodness that is what I did.  I had a lot of ups and downs to the restroom last night so not the best night's sleep, but I feel good again this morning.  I am going to try to get a few things done this morning again, but am going to try to listen to my body.  I haven't exercised since #2 either.  Just don't have it in me yet.

Hope all of you have a great day!

My wife went back to work today. She had her first treatment last Monday. She could have worked yesterday but her port was still very sore so she did not work. She has had some on and off nausea  but not serious.  She has felt a bit weak at times. She works in a office setting and is required to move around quite a bit so that may tire her more. The moving around is probably good for her arthritis and is great for her natural hyper makeup. She had a pretty large appetite Monday and Tuesday. That returned to more normal as the roids wore off. She has had no change in how things taste. She is a natural pessimist so I really have to be the positive cheerleader for her. I do know that she can start to have more negative problems at any time. From past experience it seems that you really never know what will happen until it happens. This stuff here is for sure a day to day thing.

I send warm and positive thoughts to everyone here.      

Hello, had my 2nd TCH yesterday, feeling good today, have been working all week long, started a little work-out program and lost my hair. Waiting for the Neulasta later today and "getting off steroids" crash tomorrow - FUN, last time, teh Neulasta pain was pretty bad, even with Claritin. My MO said I should start taking Tylenol as well, I am just a bit weary of taking so many pills at once. Oh well, one day at a time. I was really concerned about loosing my (already short but cute) hair, and yesterday in the shower it was soooooo gross, it came out like crazy, I finally asked my husband to give me a buzzcut, which he did, in the children's presence who cheered him on, last night. It did indeed feel liberating, and I went to work in a hat today. Just ordered a bunch of cool summery hats from headcovers.com and have a few scarfs - I will not wear a wig, even though I have a fairly cute one. I am beyond caring whether I look like a cancer patient. Even bitched (and that's normally so against my nature) at two highschool girls walking behind me the other day, commenting on my very short hair and wearing "manly clothes" (mind you I wore regular work clothes: blue shirt and stylish khakis): I simply turned around and told them to get manners when talking about people in their earshot, and if they would say the same thing if their mom had breast cancer. They started moving pretty quickly and the giggling stopped.

I have one weird side effect and that's pretty bad vision - I am far sighted and use glasses to work at a computer and for reading, but now, I can barely cook dinner without glasses - what's that all about? All is really blurry.

Trying to enjoy every day as it is - after the Neulasta shot, I will get myself some icrecream and sit in the warm California spring sun. Tomorrow? We will see.

Wishing everyone a good, side effect free weekend with a bit of sunshine and spring.
Alexandra

Heroldman, I think you're the sweetest  I also think it's important to note that NOBODY wants to lose hair - not men, and not women. So much of how we define our appearance, our youth, our vitality, our attractiveness, depends on having a nice full head of hair, and losing it makes most (but not all!) of us feel vulnerable, and old, and obviously sick. 

But out of all the millions of chemo cycles involving drugs where hair loss is a side effect, only 1 percent of us get to escape it. And even that 1 percent DOES usually lose a lot of hair - they just don't lose all of it. 

It's easy to say hair isn't important in the big picture, because that's obviously true. Who here would rather have more cancer if they could keep their hair? Anyone? Anyone? Nope. Your wife knows it's not important, but it makes her feel sad anyway.

I can't tell you what she'd like, but I can sure tell you what I need to hear when my hair goes. I need my husband to remind me (OFTEN) that he loves the way I smile, or that my blue/green eyes are his favorite eyes on earth, or that my butt is awesome (I never hear this one, so that would be amazing, actually). Rather than focus on what's gone, focus on what's right in front of you, and remind her that you chose her to hang out with for a bunch of decades for a whole lot of reasons, only one of which might have been that she had nice hair :-)

cancerisnot...

I decided to go back for a week and a half b/w surgery and chemo.   I ran out of things to clean at home. My BS knows my husband and let him make that call. And it stopped the FMLA clock for me and now I still have 13 weeks to use intermittently for chemo. My new manager is a stickler for the rules so I didnt want to "waste" ankh er week at home when I feel almost normal. 

I'm hoping to work in between rounds for a week or so. One because they are also "family" (I've worked with some of them since I was 22 and a spanking brand new baby paramedic) and part of my support and two cause I don't know if I can sit still. My MO and PMD are both OK w me doing this. I guess I'll see how it goes after chemo #1. Maybe I'm just dreaming.